The Rock Church

The Walls of Self-Control by Tony D'Amico

“A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” — Proverbs 25:28

This verse likens us to a city. It’s certainly a powerful metaphor; we don’t often see it used in the Bible. I think a few themes from this verse are worth spending some time on. They’ll help us understand what can happen when we don’t exercise self-control.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Tony D'Amico
Tags: broken, city, crushed, defense, discipline, fruit, Fruit of the Spirit, Galations, Jerusalem, metaphor, proverbs, self love, self-control, the rock church, tony damico, walls, warning

Grafted by admin

In his last published book, “The Excellency of a Broken Heart,” the great puritan author John Bunyan wrote:

“Conversion is not the smooth, easy-going process some men seem to think . . . . It is wounding work, of course, this breaking of the hearts, but without wounding there is no saving. . . . Where there is grafting there is a cutting. The scion must be let in with a wound; to stick it on to the outside or to tie it on with a string would be of no use. The heart must be set to heart and back to back, or there will be no sap from root to branch, and this, I say, must be done by a wound.”

Many blessings come with God’s gift of salvation. However, there are also many troubles and pains. There is the breaking down of our earthly bodies, the desires and temptations of our sinful flesh, and satan (the prowling lion) wishing to destroy us and ruin the joy and goodness in our lives. Additionally, hate and venom are directed toward us from a world the unregenerate part of us so longs to please. 

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin
Tags: a broken heart, abide, adopted, billy johnson, branches, broken, cutting, flesh, grafted, grafting, jesus, John, John Bunyan, joy, olive, pain, painful, pruning, psalm, root, sanctification, suffering, the rock church, tree, trial, trouble, wounded

Delighting in God’s Word Series by The Rock Church

A Sermon Series Based on Psalm 119

“I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.” Psalm 119:15-16 NLT

What are you delighting in? What brings you joy or pleasure? When was the last time you truly adored something? To delight is to be greatly pleased, and Psalm 119 is full of this wonder. It is also the longest chapter in the Bible and likens His Word to honey for our lips and a lamp for our feet.

Posted in News, Series by The Rock Church
Tags: bible, Church, delight, delighting in god's word, freedom, God's word, honey, jesus, joy, psalm 119, Psalms, Sermon Series, study, sweet, the rock church, trc, Word

Happy New Year by The Rock Church

I don’t know about you, but I’m saying good riddance to Old Man 2022. For me, 2022 is like an old, noisy street. As I close the door on it, I find myself hoping for clarity and quietly looking forward to a new year. Honestly, we made it past 2020, 2021, and 2022 — there must be some consolation prize. For those of us who know Jesus, there is a consolation prize. It’s the same as in all the years of eternity past — 2023 holds all the fulfilled promises in Christ Jesus. This verse is like the Times Square ball drop of verses for us as Christians.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church
Tags: 2022, 2023, happy New Year, joy, Mac, new, new beginnings, new life, old, Steve McInroy, the rock church

Humility by admin

“Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” — Proverbs 18:12

“For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” -Timothy Keller

Christian, when we walk in humility, we are within the circle of God’s blessing. The world tells us we need more power, money, fame, position, and praise. It tells us we need more of…everything!

The Bible, however, calls a person like that a leech: the world is a leech!

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin
Tags: anxiety, anxious, competition, content, fame, fear, happy, hopeless, humble, humility, leech, obey, Peace, pride, proverbs, Rest, restless, Steele Croswhite, striving, the rock church, work

Owner’s Manual by admin

“Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.” — Psalm 119:98-100

The clock radio alarm went off at 5:40 a.m.; I turned it off and got out of bed. My wife said, “What was the rest of that commercial? The one that was just on?” I said, “I didn’t hear.” (A statement to my auto-piloting when I get up.) She replied, “The commercial said, ‘If only there were an owner’s manual for relationships?’” However, since I turned it off, we will never know. 

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin
Tags: directions, guidance, instructions, Josh Whitney, life, manual, Purpose, radio, relationships, the rock church, Wisdom, work

What Do You Want? by admin

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” — Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV84)

We recently asked our kids for Christmas gift ideas. Some of them went above and beyond the call of duty. They sent us their “Wish List” from Amazon! Welcome to the technology age. This electronic wish list certainly proved to be very helpful. Specifically, it showed us that our kids took our request seriously; they knew what they wanted. I think God wants us to have the same heart attitude.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin
Tags: ask, Bartimaeus, Bill Young, blind, Christmas, desire, desperate, gift, identity, jesus, list, longing, Mark, Matthew, prayer requests, request, respond, the rock church, trial, want, wish

Trust in Him at All Times by Caleb Yetton

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” — Psalm 62:5-8

I’m not exactly sure what each of you is going through. But I know that, most likely, we are staring something in the face that brings us to a place of needing to trust Jesus. Perhaps in the past weeks (or in the coming weeks), you are wrestling with trusting Jesus. 

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Caleb Yetton
Tags: caleb yetton, choice, doubt, endurance, faith, fear, heart, King David, pain, psalm, psalm 62, refuge, Rest, suffering, the rock church, trial, trust, Trusting, waiting

O Holy Night Christmas Series by The Rock Church

“O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.” 

We sing these beautiful songs every year. But, how many of us take the time to think about the majestic (and powerful) words we’re actually singing? Their rich, theological significance is worth discovering. 

Posted in News, Series by The Rock Church
Tags: carols, Christmas, christmas eve, Christmas Eve Service, christmas season, christmas series, december, Draper, hymns, o holy night, Series, Sermon Series, the rock church, topical series, topical sermons, trc, Utah

Discipline, Testing, or Training? by admin

How do you want your life (or your children’s lives) to go? Smooth, easy, tranquil, and stress-free, I assume? I certainly doubt if anyone wakes up thinking, “I would like a lot of adversity today.” or “I hope my children experience some real hardships this week.”

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin
Tags: Children, confusion, doubt, hardship, Israelites, Josh Whitney, Joshua, Judges, Questions, shape, suffering, teach, test, the rock church, train, trial